Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1887-02-11
industrious Jerry.

ed man in certain parts of the country
may be an unfortunate gift of heredity.
II so, it is gift in which many negroes
find much enjoyment. a lady gives the
following account of her experience
with q negro man whom she had en-
gagged TO take up and clean carpet, and
put it down again.
He had told me that he would be on
hand bright an airly," and even hint
ed at the possibility Of his coming by
daylight.
"If you are here by half-past seven,
it will do" | said.
"Ha' pas seben, lady! Dat am mon
s'tous late fo' man TO begin a days
wuk. Use mo- likely to be roun' by ha'-
pas six. lady"
Half-past seven came and went the
next day, and no Jerry. Eight o'clock,
and no Jerry. At half-past eight he
came leisurely sauntering into the
yard.
"How is this, Jerry?" asked. "You
said you would surely be here by half
past seven"
$50 did, lady, so | did: an how |
happened to obersleep myself dis mawn-
in is de mos mazn' circumstance.
Mos gin'rally I'se up TO day. But III
hab dat kyarpet up an out'n de back
ya'd less'n no time"
"It's so late, you'll have TO hurry If
you get it done to-day"
"Sho, lady! Hits jess play 70 me to
take up kyarpst like dat, clean hit, an
put hit down in free hours"
A little after nine | went into the
room. Jerry had taken the ncks out
on three sides OF the carpet, and was
lying fiat on his back staring at the
ceiling.
81 'clar, LADY," he said, "dats de put
tiest wuk on dat csilin' | eber saw I'se
tryin' an tryin' TO make out IL hit am
RELY painted on dar, or II hit am only
papered on"
You'd better let the ceiling alone,
and get this carpet ont on the line right
away" | said, sharply.
"Don' yo' min bout dis kyarpet,
lady. Hifll be out O. hyar in free
shakes oh dead sheep's TAIL" he said.
At ten O'Clock | again went into the
room. Jerry had folded the carpet up
in the middle of the room, and was sit
ting on it.
"Takin' up kyarpsts is kind o waxin'
wuk," he said. 81 mos sllus has some
one TO help me-
"You don't need any help In cleaning
a little carpet tike this" said.
+ La, no, lady! / could clean dis
kyarpet wild one hand tied behind me-"
1t was eleven o'clock when Jerry got
the carpet on the line. Ten minutes
later he had disappeared. My little boy
found him two blocks away, In a per-
feet ecstasy over a haLd-organ and a
monkey.
81 'clar, ma'am, dat am de smartest
monkey! Hit do beat all wunner II
hit makes much money!" he said, when
he came back.
He gave the carpet few listless
strokes with an old broom. handle, aud
then laid himself down on the grass
"clean tired out"
Ten minutes later found him initial
ing my little boy into the mysteries Of
''mumble-the-peg."
jerry 1 asked, pointing majei c.
ally to the carpet.
"Yes, lady, hits all cleaned. Pllput
it down in ten minutes"
"It is not half cleaned" said. "You
have not beaten onc-teDth Of the dust
out OF It,"
GAN right. lady, all right" he said,
ominously. "Hit's yo' kyaipet, an ]
reckon yo' kin STAN de loss II 1 beats
hit to rigs. rs pounded dat kyarpet all
hit'lI stan, lady, but it's yo' kyarpet."
But why write more? At five o'clock
that carpet was still on the line, and
Jerry was leaning over the back fence
watching two boys playing at marbles
in the alley. At six o'clock he dragged
the carpet into the house, and wanted
his pay for that day. saying that he
would get man to help him, and "git
dat kyarpet down quicker'n wink the
next day."
/ paid him for half days work /.
bade him goodbye forever, and put the
carpet down myself the next day